Department of Numbers

Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Omaha fell 0.0 percentage points in September 2023 to 2.3%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the Nebraska rate. The unemployment rate in Omaha peaked in April 2020 at 9.4% and is now 7.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.2% in May 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Omaha unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Nebraska 2.1% +0.1 -0.5
Omaha 2.3% 0.0 -0.4
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Omaha, Nebraska, National

Omaha, Nebraska monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Omaha, Nebraska Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Omaha peaked in April 2020 at 46,841. There are now 34,899 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 11,383 in May 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 559. Omaha employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Omaha, Nebraska) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Omaha 11,942 +289 -1,908

Number of Unemployed Persons

Omaha, Nebraska Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Nebraska
Unemployment Rate		 Omaha
Unemployment Rate		 Omaha
Unemployed
October
2023		 3.9% 2.2% — —
September
2023		 3.8% 2.1% 2.3% 11,942
August
2023		 3.8% 2.0% 2.3% 11,653
July
2023		 3.5% 2.0% 2.3% 11,543
June
2023		 3.6% 1.9% 2.2% 11,464
May
2023		 3.7% 1.9% 2.2% 11,383
April
2023		 3.4% 2.0% 2.3% 11,455
March
2023		 3.5% 2.1% 2.3% 11,923
February
2023		 3.6% 2.3% 2.5% 12,589
January
2023		 3.4% 2.5% 2.6% 13,160
December
2022		 3.5% 2.7% 2.7% 13,865
November
2022		 3.6% 2.7% 2.7% 13,924

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩

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